Your last summer at the beach

“Now are you sure you’re going to be ok?” your mom asks for about the hundredth time.

“Yes mom, I’ll be fine” you assure her as you stand with your parents at the airport terminal.

“I just feel bad. We’ll be gone almost all summer and by the time we get back you’ll be getting ready to go back to college.”

“He’ll be fine dear” your dad assures her. “He’s a big boy and can look after himself.”

“Well he wouldn’t have to look after himself if that bitch…”

“That’s enough you promised not to bring it up again” your dad gently interrupts her seeing you wince.

Most likely your mom had been about to start ripping into your ex-girlfriend again. Like any mom she’s protective of you and when you told your parents the reason why the two of you broke up she was furious with the girl. Your dad had been less vehement with his response, only asking if you were all right, offering you a beer and saying that if you wanted to talk he’d be glad to listen

 The two of you had been dating since your senior year of high school, and even though you had attended different colleges for the last three years had been able to make it work, until recently that is.  About two weeks before the end of the school year the two of you had gotten into a fight on the phone.

You recall all the details as your dad tries to get your mom to drop the subject. She had insisted that you needed to come down to her school because her sorority was having a post finals party. When you pointed out that you and your friends had something similar planed and technically it was her turn to come to your school she had thrown a fit. She accused you of never wanting her to have fun with her friends and not liking them just because they were all in fraternities or sororities. You pointed out that you had spent the past three years hanging out with these people you supposedly didn’t like whenever you visited her and never complained once. After spending another half hour arguing she had hung up on you.

You hadn’t thought much about it at the time, just chalked it up to the stress of finals, but the next afternoon you got a call from your friend Jenna. She had gone to high school with you and her parents worked with yours. Despite being two years younger than you the two of you had been friends since you can remember. You knew from the moment she said that she needed to talk to you something was wrong. The only time she ever sounded that hesitant was when she was worried about something, usually it meant some guy she was dating was being an ass and she needed your help.

“What is it Jen, what’s wrong? If some guy is giving you a hard time… ‘

“No it’s not that”, she says and blows out a breath in frustration. “Look I don’t know how to say this except to just say it.” After a moment’s hesitation she blurts out, “Cecile cheated on you last night.”

“Wha…” you asked stunned. “Did you just say..”

“Yeah I did,” she says in a small sad voice. “I hate to have to be the one to tell you, but you need to know and I owe you.”

“Are you sure?” you ask hopping that this is some kind of mistake.

“Unfortunately”, she replies and you can hear how much she hates being the one to break this news to you. “I was at a frat party to celebrate the end of finals week, and while looking for the bathroom I stumbled into someone’s room. There were two people getting all hot and heavy on the bed, and when I apologized for barging in the guy asked if I wanted to join them and I saw the girl he was with was Cec. The room reeked of pot and she looked pretty stoned. When I dragged her out of the room and demanded an explanation she said it was no big deal she was just a little high and nothing was going to happen and there wasn’t any need for you to find out. But I’ve known you for forever and couldn’t do that to you.”

You thanked Jenna in a stunned voice and tell her you’ll call her back. After hanging up you called Cecile and asks her if what Jenna just told you was true. When it took her a second to answer you knew it was. The next half hour was spent with you asking for an explanation and her asking for you to let it go and forgive her. You can’t do that and she gets angry and begins yelling at you for being stubborn and not willing to understand.

“Well if that’s how you’re going to be why are you dating me?”

“I’m not any more” you reply trying to keep your voice neutral.

“What?” she asks shocked.

“I said I’m not. We’re done. Just don’t take it out on Jenna. She’s pretty torn about things as they are.” With that you hung up and headed to the gym. You figured three in the afternoon was too early to start drinking and the physical exertion would keep your mind off the fact that the past three years with Cecile just went down the toilet.

The sound of the final boarding call for your parent’s plane interrupts your memory and you are brought back to the present.

“If you guys don’t hurry you’ll miss the plane.” You tell them.

“All right as long as you’re sure you’ll be ok. Have fun life guarding this summer,” your mom says giving you a hug. “You know you’ll have the house all to yourself so feel free to pick up some random girl and have some meaningless sex.”

“Or better yet a couple of random girls.” Your dad chimes in. “Just make sure to clean up before we get home.”

“Guys!” you say but can’t help but laugh. They had always been cool about things like that.

You watch their plane taxi down the runway and head back to your jeep. As you pull out of the parking lot your cell phone rings. Without looking at the caller i.d. you answer, “Paco’s tacos we use real cat meat.”

“Yes Paco, I’d like three Siamese supremes hold the sour cream.” Your buddy Scott responds without missing a beat.

“What’s up Scott?”

“Nothing much where are you?”

“I had to take the folks to the airport remember?” you ask.

“Oh right, so when’ll you be back?”

“I’m just leaving the airport now, so I’ll be back around 6 why?”

“Me and Andy are heading over to the Sand Bar and were wondering if you want to meet us there?”

You hear Andy in the background say “Come on dude, now that your single you can be my wing man and we can pick us up some Betties.”

“Did he just use the term ‘Betties’?” you ask Scott and laugh.

“He goes to school in California, all that suffer jargon has seeped into his brain.” Scott replies and you hear what sounds like someone getting smacked in the head.

“Oww, dude. Seriously not cool.” Andy grumbles in the background.

“Look as much fun as hanging out with you two stooges at the bar sounds I’m kind of wiped out. I was thinking of heading home checking my email and calling it a night.” You respond pulling onto the highway.

“Well you know where to find us if you change your mind buddy.”

A few hours later, as you turn off on your exit you realize you’re not as tired as you thought and consider meeting Scott and Andy at the bar. They might be a couple of stooges but they’re also your best friends and you guys always hit the Sand Bar your first night back in town, it’s a tradition. On the other hand the odds are good you’ll run into some of the people you and Cecile used to hang out with there and you don’t feel like answering a bunch of questions about why the two of you broke up. You sit at the stoplight and drum your fingers on the wheel, thinking.